Russel Bernhagen Showcases His Woodworking

One Campbellsport resident keeps himself busy and creative with woodworking. Russel Bernhagen worked in manufacturing for many years, specifically metal fabrication, maintenance and automation.

37 years ago he moved to Campbellsport and has enjoyed working in his shop on his various projects. One of those projects in particular was a handmade wooden chair for a little girl named Sophia.

Sophia and her mother would often walk past Mr. Bernhagen’s shop and she would wave inside. He saw that she seemed interested in his work and he wanted to make something special for her. That project took him about two weeks, or 20 hours, to complete and he gifted it to her for free.

“I never have charged anybody for the work I do. If you see the smile on the little girl’s face, that’s reward enough,” Mr. Bernhagen said.

Over the years he has found a creative outlet in woodworking. Mr. Bernhagen mentioned, “Now that I’m retired, the woodworking affords me an outlet for all those creative energies that don’t go away.”

But he didn’t start woodworking when he retired, he has been doing it since he was a teenager. His father was an accomplished carpenter and built him and his wife’s first house.

Mr. Bernhagen continued, “Based on my professional background, it was a creative enterprise. You’re always designing and building something.”

In his work he typically uses power tools but occasionally uses hand tools for finishing. Outside of Sophia’s chair, some of his other creations include clocks, chess tables, cabinets, dressers, wood art and chairs.

Mixing his engineering background with woodworking is something that he enjoys. One of his creations is a credenza, a liquor cabinet. It includes lights and an automatic shelf that raises. He enjoys automation and building mechanisms in his work.

He enjoys making furniture but unfortunately his house has run out of room for it. “What I typically do now is I pay attention if somebody sees something or says they enjoy a particular item, I’ll make it and give it to them as a gift.”

But he doesn’t have a favorite project, “All of my projects are my favorites until they’re done. Then the next one is my favorite,” he said.

The motto for his shop is in latin, “materiam superabat opus.” It means “the workmanship surpasses the material.”

Kettle Moraine Hardwoods is where he gets the wood he uses in his projects from. He has been buy from them for many years.

He doesn’t plan to stop his work any time soon. Mr. Bernhagen’s next project is a small chest of drawers and potentially some small wooden shoulder planes.